The Forgotten Test Subjects
by JasonChurch
Summary: GLaDOS has a whole new batch of test subjects thanks to ATLAS and P-body. These are their stories. Appearance of Chell: Starting in Ch. 2. Rating for: Language, gore, and adult themes. Rating may increase to M later in the story. Will update periodically
1. Chapter 1: The Awakening

A/N: This is my first fanfic and I hope it is up-to-par with the others on this site. Any constructive criticism is welcomed. I want to become a better writer. Thanks.

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><p><span>Chapter 1:<span>

The Awakening

GLaDOS had just finished scanning the new test candidates that she had found, with some help from ATLAS and P-body. She wondered if any of her new test subjects would be as good at testing as _her_. Even if they weren't, GLaDOS was excited to begin to save science again. She decided to start out with three random test subjects: Brandon Reinhart, Emily Kent, and Erik Johnson. As GLaDOS had them moved into their relaxation chambers she thought happily to herself, _it's time for science_!

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><p>Brandon opened his eyes and was immediately confused. He knew his name; but that was it. As he sat up, Brandon looked around his surroundings. He was in a glass box with a toilet, a bed, and a small shelf with a clipboard and a radio that was playing some really annoying music. Brandon stood up and noticed for the first time that he was wearing and orange jumpsuit and a very strange looking pair of boots. "What the hell are these things?" Brandon wondered aloud about the boots.<p>

Suddenly a semi-human voice, from an invisible speaker, spoke to him, saying, "Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper. Before we begin, the Enrichment Center reminds you that safety is our primary goal; and so please do not remove your long fall boots and obey all instructions, as your life may be at risk during these tests. The portal will open in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…." An orange hole suddenly opened up in the only part of the wall that was not made of glass, and as Brandon looked through it, he had the weird sensation of seeing himself looking through the hole… at himself looking through the hole…. It gave him a headache and so he stopped thinking about it.

"What is this?" Brandon asked.

"This is an Aperture Science Quantum Space Hole; in everyday terms, a portal from one location to another. Please step through so we may begin the testing."

Brandon was still unsure about just stepping through a quantum space hole; something about it did not seem safe, so he carefully approached the event horizon of the portal and tentatively put a finger through. There was a slight tingle, but nothing painful, and so he stepped through it. Brandon saw a door on the other side of the room and decided to go along with the strange voice, mainly because he couldn't see any other option and he was curious as to what was in store for him.

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><p>Emily Kent awoke in a glass box with a toilet, a bed, and a small shelf with a clipboard and a radio that was playing some really annoying music. Her first thought was not what one would think it would be; <em>where am I and why am I here<em>? It was not a similarly important thought, _who put me here_? Instead, her first thought was, _how the fuck do I turn off that music_? She got up, not noticing that she was wearing strange looking boots and an orange jumpsuit, and walked over to the radio and looked for an off switch. She found the volume knob and turned it down to zero. Her biggest concern taken care of, Emily realized that she did not know where she was. Everything had a very sterile quality and she did not like it much.

Without warning a computerized voice spoke to Emily, saying, "Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper. Before we begin, the Enrichment Center reminds you that safety is our primary goal here at Aperture Science; and so please do not remove your long fall boots and obey all instructions, as your life may be at risk during these tests."

"You mean I could die?" Emily replied shocked.

"The portal will open in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…." The computerized voice said, without responding to her question. An orange hole suddenly opened up in the only part of the wall that was not made of glass. Emily hesitated, not knowing what to do, she could see herself through the portal, but not like in a mirror; she saw herself from the side. Not questioning the weirdness of this, made a split second decision to listen to the voice. After all, it did tell her that her safety was very important. She stepped through the portal and began testing.

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><p>Before awaking Erik Johnson, GLaDOS looked through his file. "Hmm…" she read aloud, "Personality Traits: Logical; takes his time, w<em>ell, we will see how long he takes when presented with turrets<em>; thinks things through; distant; lacks empathy; asks many questions, _hmm that might be a problem_. Notes: this test candidate is not approved for cooperative testing. _Interesting._" Upon finishing the file, GLaDOS initiated the wake up sequence for Test Subject Erik Johnson.

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><p>Erik opened his eyes and immediately wondered where he was. He was in a room that was the exact copy of the rooms that Brandon and Emily had awoken in. <em>Ok, so I'm in a glass room that feels like a sterile prison cell. I wonder why I am here. Why can't I remember anything?<em> Erik thought with increasing panic. C_alm down Erik, you can figure this out_.

"Hello, and welcome to the Aperture Science Computer Aided Enrichment Center. Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper. Before we begin, the Enrichment Center reminds you that safety is our primary goal here at Aperture Science; and so please do not remove your long fall boots and obey all instructions, as your life may be at risk during these tests." As soon as the voice began to speak, Erik did not trust the voice. Something just did not feel right. He had many questions he wanted to ask and yet he did not. "The portal will open in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…,"the voice whirred. A hole in the wall suddenly opened up.

Erik looked at the portal. He narrowed his eyes as he calculated the chances that it would be dangerous. To test it, he took the radio and threw it through the portal. It flew through, and landed on the opposite side of the portal. The radio appeared to be fine, so Erik decided to follow it through. He felt a slight tingle, but other than that nothing. _Ok, so I now know that portals don't have any immediate effects._ Erick saw a door in the opposite wall and made for it; even though he knew that was what the computer lady wanted. It was his only option. Erik knew he was trapped.


	2. Chapter 2: Checking In

A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reading this. Hope this chapter is as good or better than the last one. Please R&R.

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><p><span>Chapter 2:<span>

Checking In

Chell felt her companion cube bounce on her back as she ran. It had been a week since she had been let out of Aperture science and she had only enjoyed the first day. That was before she found out how terrible the outside world had become… or was…. Chell could not remember anything before she awoke in that relaxation vault all that time ago. All her time within the Enrichment Center had been filled with lies, hardship, and betrayal, but at least she knew what to expect there. Chell had taken off her jumpsuit and used it like a backpack to house her companion cube. While this made it easier for her to carry said cube, it meant that she was wearing nothing but her underwear below the waist. Her scars from bullets not quite dodged and all the other things that had narrowly missed killing her back at Aperture.

In the present, Chell had no time to reminisce about her time dealing with GLaDOS, Wheatly, and the inexhaustible series of tests. She was currently running for her life from a pack of bug-like creatures with too many fangs for her liking. Her breath came in ragged gulps, her muscles burned from the exertion, and her bare feet were bleeding from cuts caused by sharp rocks underneath her feet. And yet Chell still ran on. She would not give up, could not give up. Suddenly she tripped on a branch that was sticking up from the ground. Chell hit the ground hard, and her companion cube flew out of her grasp and came to rest a few yards away. Chell tried to tell her body to move, to get up, to run; but it was as if she had lost all of her strength in the fall. She heard her pursuers behind her, knew they were closing in. _I guess this is it_, she thought with a grimace. _No! I will not give up!_ Gritting her teeth Chell managed to lever herself up into a kneeling position. Suddenly a burst of gunfire flew from the cliffs above her. Instinctively Chell rolled to the side, thinking it was a turret firing at her. She smacked her head on a rock and the world went dark.

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><p>Back at the Aperture Science Enrichment Center, GLaDOS was annoyed. Out of her first three test subjects, only Erik was doing well. Emily had broken down and started crying when asked to simply emancipate her Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube. She was still just sitting there outside the Aperture Science Emergency Intelligence Incinerator, clutching her companion cube. Bernard was not faring well either. He had only just managed to get the Dual Portal Device; and could not figure out how to get on a moving platform. He did not understand that he should use the laser to move the platform, and then stop it when it is under the portable surface, and then use two portals to get up to the platform and then start the panel moving again by using portals to use the laser. Of course GLaDOS could not tell him that that was what he was supposed to do; that would go against her programing. Finally there was Erik. He started out slow, taking an hour to study the very first Aperture Science Emancipation Grill. Erik was just not trusting enough. GLaDOS knew that if she waited too long, Erik Johnson was going to prove as problematic as <em>she<em> was.

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><p>Erik stood and carefully studied the test chamber that was before him. He then placed two porters, stepped on the Aerial Faith Plate and was done with the the test chamber in a matter of minutes. That was now Erik worked. He studied and then quickly completed test chamber after test chamber.<p>

"Well done. You have been doing great. So great that, in fact, I have a surprise for you after you complete this next test," The computer lady said.

_Oh no_, Erik thought, _She is going to try and kill me. I must seem too rebellious. I must escape during this next test_! Erik walked into the elevator and it whisked him down to his next test chamber. As he entered the test, the billboard that was always there lit up. It had a big '19' indicating that he had completed 18 previous test chambers. Erik then looked at the pictured information that was at the bottom. Almost every single one was lit. _Oh boy_, Erik mentally sighed, _so this final test chamber has Aerial Faith Plates, light bridges, turrets, acid, lasers, buttons, and one or more smashing plates. Lovely_. Erik rounded the corner carefully, and the room opened up before him. As usual Erik began to analyze the test chamber before he actually started; but this time he was looking for a way out of the test chamber.

"To enhance the sense of danger in this test," the computerized female voice said, "I will be slowly pumping in some deadly neurotoxin. The content in the room will reach deadly levels in six minutes, but you only have about five before you pass out. Have fun." Some of the non-portal-conducting walls flipped over to reveal a big screen with a countdown timer.

Erik began to panic. He knew that he couldn't take his time finding a way to escape; he had to complete the test and then try and escape the surprise. He ran forward as his mind started racing faster than it ever had before. Erik just reacted, he couldn't do anything else, didn't have time for anything else. He placed a portal and then leapt off of a ledge, placing a portal at the bottom of the pit as he fell. Erik flew through the air and quickly placed two more portals so he landed on a light bridge above the turrets. He continued the test as fast as he could, and all the while the timer ticked down the time until his death. 4 minutes… 3 minutes… 2 minutes… with only 1 minute left Erik began to feel a sharp pain in his head. He knew he didn't have long. He saw the final button and the door that lead to it. He dropped his Discouragement Redirection Cube onto the button and sprinted through the emancipation field, past the turret that managed to hit Erik in the leg with one bullet. Erik dived through the emancipation field and tumbled down the stairs. When he landed at the bottom, Erik hurt all over. His body from the fall, and his leg throbbed and bled profusely. Hoping that an artery had not been hit, he slipped an arm out of its sleeve and then ripped the sleeve off, and then proceeded to tie it tightly around the wound. "Fuck," Erik said through gritted teeth, "Fuck this place, fuck these tests, and fuck you evil computer lady!"

GLaDOS was taken aback. She honestly did not know that Erik could speak. She hadn't seen "mute" under his physical limitations, but he hadn't made a sound prior to this, no matter how much she goaded and chided. _So, he is not like _her_. That is interesting. Still, he has progressed science as much as he can. It is time to euthanize him. _GLaDOS started to hum to herself, as she checked on her other two test subjects.

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><p>Emily did not understand. She did not want to destroy her companion cube. It had helped her through the test, and she had grown quite fond of it. She knew that it was most likely just a repainted block, but that didn't matter. It was the first thing that she had been able to connect to since awaking in the relaxation vault, other than the computerized voice, whom she had never met.<p>

"An Aperture Science Morality Review Board has concluded, with an eighty percent majority, that emancipation of the Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube is in fact moral. Please drop the Weighted Companion Cube into the Emergency Emancipation Vent, so the testing may continue." Emily walked over and held the companion cube over the open hole, as she had done at least ten times before. She looked down into the tube and saw an emancipation grid at the bottom. Emily knew what would happen from the time that she tried to take a turret with her from a test chamber. It would fizzle and the break up into ash and then nothing. Emily looked up from the emancipation grid and stared at her companion cube. The companion cube sat there and did not say anything. "Please deposit the companion cube into the Eman… just drop it already. Please, do it for me." The computer's voice had taken on a seductive tone and while it scared Emily, she knew she had to comply. The voice sounded dangerous, more dangerous than ever before.

Emily closed her eyes and turned her head away. "I'm sorry," she said as she pressed the tractor beam button and released the companion cube.

"I don't blame you." Emily's eyes shot open as the voice that she had heard from so many turrets spoke to her from where her companion cube had been just a second ago. Tears welled up in her eyes and she began to cry.

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><p>GLaDOS was happy; Bernard had started to get the hang of portals and Emily had finally emancipated her companion cube and would now be proceeding to the next test chamber. She was about to say her customary that she always said when a test subject emancipated their companion cube, "Well done; you have successfully emancipated your faithful companion cube." But the sight of the girl crying there on the floor awoke something in GLaDOS, something that she had not felt since <em>she<em> had helped GLaDOS remove the moron from her body. Turning her attention away from Emily, GLaDOS searched within herself and deleted the annoying conscience.

"Caroline deleted." The Automated Message Mainframe said. _Wait!_ GLaDOS thought,_ I thought I already deleted her. Hmm. Maybe that error message that I got wasn't about the memories of when I was a…_ "Memory access error. If this problem persists, please seek the attention of an Aperture Science Artificial Intelligence Memory Associate for assistance." _Oh, then it was Caroline that was not deleted_, GLaDOS thought – ignoring AMM completely—_well little Caroline is gone now and so I can get back to tes…_ "Deletion error. This deletion cannot be completed. We are sorry; none of the 417.5 Aperture Science Associate positions can fix this error, as core corruption would ensue and there is currently no Aperture Science Core Corruptor Associate position. If you would like such a position opened please contact your nearest Aperture Science Associate Position Creator Associate for details.

GLaDOS sighed. She had thought about deleting AMM before, but unfortunately that would mean that she would have to perform all the jobs that the AMM did, and she did not want to have to waste her time on that. Plus, AMM was one of the few things that she could not delete. She did not have access to those files; in fact, she didn't even know where the files were located. _Maybe I should have Orange and Blue look for them… no… it's not worth it. _GLaDOS put AMM out of her mind and focused back on Emily, who by now had finally moved to the elevator and was descending toward the next test.

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><p>AN: If I got any of the lines wrong (except the ones about the emancipation vent instead of the incinerator and emancipating the cube instead of euthanizing it. That was purposeful because the cube is actually destroyed by the emancipation grid and not by the incinerator; plus GLaDOS seems to have taken to actually destroying them since being brought back from the dead) please feel free to tell me and I will update them when I get the message. Thanks for reading! Again, please rate and review. I hope to have chapter 3 up soon.


	3. Chapter 3: Achievement Unlocked: TFTPO1

A/N: Hey everyone! Thanks for reading! I focused on Chell for most of this chapter, so next chapter may even have her in it. Please R&R as always! I would love some constructive criticism. Hope you all enjoy chapter 3!

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><p><span>Chapter 3:<span>

Achievement Unlocked: Two For The Price of One

Bernard had to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately, he had not seen one in all his time spent in the test chambers. It was getting so bad that he couldn't focus on the tests. He knew that the computer was getting impatient. It had already made some comments on how his speed was significantly lacking. Bernard made the decision to simply go into the next pit of acid he saw. This happened to be in the next test chamber. Bernard set down his ASHPD and jogged forward, unzipping his jumpsuit at the same time. He reached the edge of the pit and started to relive himself.

"There you are." A soft voice from behind him said. Bernard had a moment to realize that he should have looked before rushing into the chamber before he felt hundreds of bullets tearing into him. He died quickly, his bullet-ridden body falling forward into the acid, leaving only a floor panel covered in his blood.

GLaDOS watched the whole thing transpire calmly. _Well at least he fell into the acid. That means that there will be no skeletons to shake out of it next time. But it really is too bad for him. He just had one test to go before I called it a day and allowed him to go back to his relaxation vault. _She started humming to herself as she sent a recovery bot to retrieve the Dual Portal Device from where Bernard had left it. GLaDOS started humming as she finished preparations for Erik's surprise.

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><p>"Push the button!" POTaDOS' voice rang out.<p>

"Don't push that button!" Wheatly's voice responded. Chell was torn, but the facility was about to explode, and so she had no choice. She went to press the button. The explosion sent Chell flying back into the main chamber. It also shook her up really bad. Wheatly was saying something, but in her current state she couldn't make it out. Then she heard, "Oh, what? You're still alive? No matter, now I am the one with all the cards." Chell noticed a hole in the ceiling, and the moon shone through illuminating a ring around her. With Cave Johnson's voice talking about moon rocks and the portal gel, Chell picked up the portal device and shot a portal up to the moon. The world started to shake.

Chell opened her eyes to find a roughly dressed man in baggy clothes shaking her. "Oh good, you're awake," he said, "We thought we lost you there for a moment." He turned from her to a screen on which was a bespectacled man in a long coat that was once white stood. "Dr. Luther, the girl from Aperture is awake." Chell sat up, but was immediately pushed back down by another man, this one in a rough coat with a red cross on the sleeve.

"Take it easy, you are in no condition to get up right now. Give it a few minutes." He said, not unkindly. Chell wanted to speak, tried to speak. Her legs twitched instead. She turned her attention to the screen.

"…want to find out what she knows about Aperture. Find out her name, we can't just go around calling her 'the girl from Aperture,'" the man on the screen, Dr. Luther she thought was what the man had called him, said. The first man agreed and then came over to Chell.

"What's your name, hon?" He asked. Again Chell tried to speak. Again her legs twitched. He frowned. "Are you alright? You are safe here, for the moment anyway. You can tell us your name at least. I'm Derik, and this here is Doc." Chell shook her head, and pointed to her throat. "You're mute?" Chell nodded. "Well that's a shame." Derik turned back to Dr. Luther and told her the news.

"Mute? Damn. I was hoping that she could tell us something. Hmm… Maybe the Vortigaunts can do something about her problem. Get her over to the New Dawn Medical Base. It is one of our last strongholds with decent medical equipment. I'll fill Dr. Applebaum in on the situation and he can ask the Vortigaunts there for help after he figures out what is wrong with her."

Chell was confused. _Vortigaaunts? What the hell is a Vortigaunt?_ Doc helped Chell up.

"Don't really want to be moving you yet, but they can do more for you at New Dawn than I can do here."

Derik came over and said, "You'll be traveling with James and Amir, I'll take you to them now. You get to travel in style." Chell nodded, and then looked around for her companion cube. It was nowhere in sight. Chell tapped Derik on the shoulder and when he turned around she mimed a cube and raised an eyebrow. "Your cube? Oh. Uh. Sorry hon, we didn't know that was so special to you and there was a whole hive of antlions coming our way when we rescued you, so we left it. The last we saw of it, it was falling into a sinkhole caused by an antlion guard. If it meant a lot to you I am truly sorry."

Chell felt tears in her eyes. She blinked them back. _I will not break down! I was forced to leave it once, and this time it is not my fault. At least it won't be able to be destroyed there. _Chell squared her shoulders and resolved to not cry over her cube. _GLaDOS must have been lying. The cube never spoke to me. It was just a normal cube with hearts on it._ Chell knew she was trying to convince herself, but it was to no avail. She felt awful about having to leave her companion cube behind. She showed none of the guilt that she felt, however, and followed Derik to the garage, where she met James and Amir. They greeted her and then Amir showed her the "luxury" that she was going to be transported in. It was a stripped down truck with no body panels, and the back had been modified to house a turret and to continue the roll cage that made up the body of the truck.

As Amir climbed into the driver's seat and James took the turret position, Derik came over to Chell and handed her a pistol and a few clips of ammo. "Do you know how to use this?" He asked. Chell nodded in response. It couldn't be that different from the portal gun she was still used to using, could it? Chell climbed into the passenger seat and they set off.

The scenery zipped by Chell as they proceeded through the back country. The ride was not very comfortable, but it beat walking on her bandaged feet. Plus, as far as she could tell, there was no need for the turret. She hadn't seen one Antlion since they left. Amir turned the truck onto a road, and the truck started to run more smoothly. Chell started to enjoy herself a little for the first time since this new nightmare had started. Putting the pistol in her lap, Chell undid her hair, and was disappointed when it kept its shape. Suddenly her reprieve was broken by a shout from James, "Fuck, we've got Combine gunships!"

"Hold on, I'll get us out of here. Start shooting James!" Chell looked behind her. There were two helicopters closing in on them fast. James started blasting away at the one that was closest and then the helicopters split up, one to the left and one to the right. They both opened up, missing the truck completely but it was too close for Chell's liking. Even though she didn't think it would do much, Chell started shooting at one of the helicopters with her pistol. Just then, she felt wetness on the back of her head and neck. James gun also stopped firing. Fearing what she might see, Chell turned around and nearly vomited. Jame's body had fallen to the bed of the truck and had slid as far back as it could go. But Jame's head was gone. "Fuck!" Amir swore, "You, girl, get on the gun or we will not make it. Chell shook herself. This was not the time to sit and stare. She stuck the pistol in the pocket of her jumpsuit, which she had put back on before leaving, and squirmed herself into the turret position. Quickly finding the trigger, Chell started shooting at the helicopter on the left, aiming for the tail. She squeezed the trigger, her body shook with the recoil, but she managed to hit the tail a few times, damaging the tail rotor. Smoke billowed from the tail and the helicopter started to spin. One of its mines fell off and collided with the side of the cockpit. An explosion rent the air and as Chell watched the spinning helicopter she saw two a hole into the cockpit with two people, or humanlike shapes at least, in black armor with black helmets fighting with the controls. It was to no avail. The helicopter was out of control.

Chell watched as it spun overhead, careening towards the other helicopter, which dodged the broken one by dropping its altitude. This move proved fatal. Another mine fell from the damaged helicopter, exploding on the main rotor of the second helicopter. Both were caught in the explosion and fell to the ground, reduced to burning heaps of wreckage. Amir stopped the car and looked at Chell in surprise. "Either you are very lucky, or you are very badass. That was amazing."Chell blushed and moved to sit back down. Amir made no objections and they continued on towards New Dawn without any more interruptions. Both ignored the body of James, which was still in the back of the truck.

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><p>Erik had managed to stop the bleeding, but was still weak. He tentatively stood on his leg, and grimaced. It hurt, but it held his weight. Limping, Erik walked around the elevator room looking for any gaps that he might be able to squeeze through. He found none, and just watched the screen as a line of multicolored turrets spun around, occasionally zooming in on one. When he got bored of this he looked for anywhere else to go that was not into the elevator. There was nothing. Resigning himself to the fact that he was most likely going to die, Erik walked slowly into the elevator.<p>

"Thank you for finally stepping into the elevator, I was beginning to think that you had fallen asleep. That would be unfortunate because then you would not get to see your surprise." His tormenter's voice sounded genuinely concerned. Erik didn't buy it, he knew what was about to happen, at least the end result.

"Let's just get this over with," Erik sighed as the doors to his elevator closed. He closed his eyes as the elevator started to ascend.

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><p>AN: Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Again, I am not going to focus on Chell so much next chapter. Speaking of chapter 4, it might be awhile because I am thinking of starting another fanfic, but this one in the _Wheel of Time _universe. I will try to finish this one more before I actually publish the other one, but I will be working on that new one and I am back at school. It may be a little more than a week this time. Maybe two. Oh, and please point out any grammar/spelling mistakes, so that I can make the story better. Thanks again for reading!


	4. Chapter 4: Surprises

A/N: Hey folks! Sorry it took so long to update, but I'm back in school, and so it might be longer between updates. Also, just a note for the entire story, I am assuming that only like 30 or so years have passed since the beginning of Portal 1. So in the timeline of the Portal/Half-Life Universe, Portal 2 takes place around 2020ish, finishing around the time that Half-Life 2: Episode 2 does. I have reasons as to why the facility would have degraded to the the degree that it did in that short amount of time, and if anyone would like an intellectual debate (not ever going to the "just because" reason (or anything similar), I will be happy to take it up in the comments. Otherwise, please R&R and enjoy!

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><p><span>Chapter 4:<span>

Surprises

The elevator stopped and the doors slid open. Erik found himself in a room that looked like every other room before a test chamber except that the door treading from this one was not up a flight of stairs. It was simply set in the wall right in front of him. He walked the around the room, but except for the door, the walls were unbroken by anything that Erik could use as an escape route. His heart falling, Erik plodded toward the door. It opened and Erik stepped into a hallway, fearing turrets, acid, anything other than what he saw. The hallway had zero portable surfaces and a pedestal in the middle, one that looked exactly like the one that had held his portal gun. The computerized voice piped up, "The Enrichment Center thanks you for your contribution to science, please put your Aperture Science Dual Portal Device on the Aperture Science Vital Apparatus Pedestal and proceed into the next room for cake and grief counseling."

Erik decided to speak for the second time since waking up, "Why would I give away my only chance of saving myself? Do you think that I do not see through your lie?"

"I think that you are being too harsh on me. Why would I want to kill you? How would that benefit science?"

"Well you have tried to kill me before with your stupid tests! Especially that last one with the neurotoxin that was not even subtle!"

"I am going to ignore that comment about the quality of my tests. See? I am a nice person. I enhanced the truth in the last test chamber. There was no neurotoxin. It was merely some neurotoxin scented oxygen that was put into the test to prove to you that you can think fast. It was for you own good, just like putting the Dual Portal Device onto its pedestal and going into the next room."

"Neurotoxin scented…?" Erik was confused. Something about that did not seem right, but he couldn't remember what. "That still doesn't mean that you did not have pits of acid or turrets to kill me with!"

"Aperture Science reminds you that all seemingly dangerous obstacles are there to enhance your test experience."

"Enhance?" Erik was hysterical now, "Enhance by killing you? That doesn't enhance the tests! It simply makes them cruel!"

"This pointless argument has taken too much time. I could just wait around and listen to you badmouth my tests and me all day, but I have more important things to do. When you feel like cooperating, just follow the instructions on the screen." One of the walls moved and was replaced by a screen that had simple instructions on it in the form of three pictures. The first one was of a person putting a portal device on a pedestal, the second depicted a person going through a door, and the final one simply had a picture of a slice of cake. Erik couldn't see any other option, but he was not going to simply follow instructions so soon after saying that he wouldn't. He sat against the wall and started to seriously analyze the dual portal device turning it over in his hands. He would wait.

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><p>GLaDOS had decided that she needed to rethink her turret design. Even Emily had been able to get by them with little problem. While GLaDOS was only programmed to run tests on new Aperture Science Technology, not modify existing ones, She had rewritten her code to include a clause that said that she could redesign things, if she noticed a flaw in a design. The critical flaw in the design of her turrets was that if they were knocked over then they shut off. GLaDOS came up with a new design; one that was similar to the Aperture Science Stationary Rocket Dispensing Device, but with a turret body at the end of the arm. When she went to input the designs into the turret assembly machine, she found that she did not have direct line, or an indirect line, into the computer that controlled the machine. GLaDOS reassembled ATLAS and P-body and instructed them to come to her chamber. While she waiting, GLaDOS put her designs onto a disc, which she would give to her two test bots. For the first time since she had been switched on, GLaDOS regretted not saving some of the scientists and engineers for future projects that she could test. It was much more of a hassle when she had to do everything.<p>

Suddenly, she had an idea. She quickly searched through the files of her new test subjects. She found four who looked promising: Dr. Karen Prell, Dr. Andrew Wolf, Gabe Van Engle, and Liz Cambridge. Dr. Prell was labeled as having a PHD in quantum particle physics. Dr. Wolf was one of the finest theoretical physicists ever employed at Aperture. Gabe and Liz were both mechanical engineers; although Gabe had an emphasis in military research and development and Liz focused mainly on future tech engineering. All four were scientists and engineers assigned to work on the Borealis Project. Ever since _she_ had taken GLaDOS into that strange hallway where they found the dry dock for the _Borealis_, GLaDOS had wondered what that experiment was. She had found very little record of it in her database. All she could find out about it was that it had been commissioned in the early 1970s and then disappeared mysteriously along with part of the ship's dry dock.

GLaDOS checked on the progress of Orange and Blue. They were almost to the turret production center. She called them back; she was going to have Gabe look over her designs and revise them. GLaDOS awoke the engineer in a modified relaxation vault. It was about 3 times the size of normal ones and featured a drafting table, a chair, so one would be able to sit at the table, as well as the standard bed and toilet. In one of the two remaining corners was an Aperture Science Vital Apparatus Vent. The rest of the space in the room was set aside for Gabe to build a prototype of GLaDOS's new turrets. She would provide him tools and parts as he needed them.

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><p>Gabe awoke in a relaxation vault bed and was immediately scared. He knew what his being in the relaxation vault would mean: testing. Gabe had managed to escape the clutches of GLaDOS the first time, but he knew that she had found a way to bring them back, and now he was going to be used as a test subject. He sat up, expecting to see the basic relaxation vault. He was in for a surprise. The room was very different, more set up like an office, albeit one with a bed and a toilet, but still, an office just the same. A small panel opened up in the floor and a bundle of clothes came up and was deposited on the floor in front of Gabe. It was not an orange jumpsuit, he was startled to see. He quickly put the clothes on, adjusting his work shirt and lab coat so that it fit comfortably.<p>

"Hello, and again welcome to the Enrichment Center. You have been selected to help the Enrichment Center help you help us all." Gabe's heart fell. He knew that voice; it was GLaDOS. There had been a slight chance that she had been shut off and that he had simply been awoken in this place by some other scientists, but no. "[Employee name here], the Enrichment Center requests that you redesign the Aperture Science Turret."

"But there is nothing wrong with the turrets! I did most of the designing myself!" Gabe responded aloud.

GLaDOS' voice came on the speaker again. "The Enrichment Center would like to remind all employees that 'science' rhymes with 'compliance,' but do you know what doesn't, 'neurotoxin.'" The point was clear to Gabe, and he did not want to die.

He fearfully asked, "What do you want changed about them?"

"Currently, Aperture Science Turrets are stationary, and cannot fire in 360 degrees. This has proved slightly ineffective in tests. The Aperture Science Android Design Database will be provided, however, please note that arms are not wanted on the new Aperture Science Turrets." An orange portal opened and through it two androids wrestled with a large file cabinet. The set it down and then exchanged a high-five. GLaDOS chastised them saying, "Orange, Blue, cut that out and return here immediately. You don't want to look foolish in front of the human do you?"

The two androids looked at Gabe curiously, or at least what Gabe perceived as curiosity, as they did not have human faces. They quickly left, and the portal closed behind them. Gabe was once again left alone. He went to the cabinet and leafed through the top drawer until he found the one he was looking for. Seeing the orange android had given him an idea. Sitting down at the drafting table, Gabe began to work.

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><p>Emily collapsed in her relaxation vault; she felt exhausted. It was weird; she hadn't noticed it before she had walked into the room. When she got into the bed she immediately fell into dreamless sleep.<p>

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading, if you find any grammatical errors please tell me what and where it is. Thanks. I'll update ASAP, but it may be awhile.


	5. Chapter 5: New Beginnings

A/N

Hey readers! Sorry I have taken so long to update this story. I was busy, and I had some major writer's block; but I'm back and I'll try to update at least once a month, maybe more.

As always, please R&R. Any constructive criticism is welcome, as is any grammatical errors on my part.

Chapter 5:

"New Beginnings"

Erik was still sitting in the room. It had been several hours and he was struggling to stay awake. The only light was a blinking light on the pedestal and the screen with instructions on it. He had been there for two days, although it felt like much longer to him. Sluggishly he stood up, using his portal gun for support. "Well, whatever she has planned for me, it will at least be more interesting than this damn room," Eric thought to himself. He tottered forward and set the portal gun on the pedestal. The floor opened up and swallowed the portal gun and the screen flipped back around, leaving Erik in complete darkness.

GLaDOS had almost forgotten about Erik. "Oh, he finally cooperated! That means I can continue my plan," she thought to herself. She then switched on the speakers in Erick's room and said to him, "The Enrichment Center thanks you with you compliance…, finally. Unfortunately, the Enrichment Center cannot dispense your cake and grief counseling, but the Enrichment Center is delighted to inform you that you have been selected for a special project. You will have a chance to relax before you start. Please proceed through the door into your Aperture Science Relaxation Vault. Sleep well!" As she switched off the speaker GLaDOS smiled to herself, or would have smiled if she had a mouth. GLaDOS had a plan, and it was coming along nicely.

Erik was confused. Through the door was a blue portal, with a relaxation vault on the other side of it. He stumbled through the door, still expecting to die in some horrible way. Erik did not die; instead, he managed to get to the bed and collapse into it, falling asleep as soon as his head hit the soft bump that served as a pillow.

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><p>Things were going well for Gabe. He was nearly complete with a prototype of his new walking turrets. Gabe was smart enough not to load the turret with bullets, as he still did not trust GLaDOS. But he was happy that he was doing what he was hired to do, and not testing; he would rather redesign everything in Aperture than test. The new turret looked an awful lot like P=body, but without arms. Gabe looked up at the camera in the corner and then quickly back down at his work. He knew he needed to finish it quickly, or else She would get mad.<p>

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><p>GLaDOS was creating new test chambers, complete with all the necessities, aerial faith plates, acid pits, deadly lasers, repulsion gel, ect. She made sure to not make the first ones too hard, based on her past experiences; and hummed while she worked. GLaDOS had decided to revive the Human Cooperative Testing Initiative; it was a good thing that she had so many new test subjects.<p>

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><p>New Dawn Medical Base was not a grand building by any stretch of the imagination, at least on the outside. It looked like a small cabin, but very rundown and dilapidated. Chell was wondering how a place like this could be considered a medical facility, it wasn't even a thousandth the size of Aperture, which she assumed had, at least at some point, a medical bay. Amir ushered her inside and over to the least dirty part of the floor. Chell noticed a seam in the floor in the shape of a circle, and they were standing in the center of it. A voice suddenly crackled over a seemingly broken radio, "Password?"<p>

"Alpha-Omega-Foxtrot," Amir responded. Suddenly the floor lurched down, and Chell looked down concerned, but realized that she was on an elevator. When the elevator reached the bottom of the shaft, a sliding door opened, revealing a sterile looking hallway that reminded Chell a little uncomfortably of Aperture's. She was met by a nurse in navy blue clothes.

"Hi! I'm Katie, Dr. Applebaum's assistant. I will take you to him, if that is ok with you." Chell nodded slowly and looked at Amir, but he had turned down another hallway and was walking quickly away, leaving Chell with Katie. Katie led Chell to a sterile room with some big white equipment, and saw a middle-aged, bespectacled man in a white lab coat. He smiled and introduced himself as Dr. Applebaum. He told Chell that he needed to take a few brain scans, but that there would be no pain.

"If you would please lie down in the machine, we can get started. Oh, and please remove all metal from your person, this machine uses a very strong electromagnet that can cause problems if there is any metal on a patient. Katie, please go and fetch a gown."

Chell changed into the gown and laid down on the table, she was tense. Katie was standing next to her and noticed this. "Don't worry, it doesn't hurt at all. Just try to relax," she said kindly. Chell nodded, and tried to relax, but couldn't, it reminded her too much of a relaxation vault bed.

As she was moved into the machine it started to whir and she heard Dr. Applebaum say, "If you could, could you please try and say 'Apple.'" Chell tried to consent, she opened her mouth but then her legs moved involuntarily. "Fascinating! I've never seen brain activity like this," Chell heard Dr. Applebaum say. The whirring stopped and she was moved out of the machine. Chell started to feel hopeful, maybe these people wouldn't betray her. Dr. Applebaum was looking at an image on a big screen; Chell thought she recognized the vague outline of her face, but most of the picture was of the inside of her skull. There were many different colors, and as she watched they changed. Dr. Applebaum saw her looking and pointed to a second picture on the screen, "This is a normal brain, when someone is speaking, you will notice the high activity in the Wernicke's area here. Now this is your brain," pointing to the first picture again. "Notice the black parts in the same area. This indicates brain damage. What is fascinating is that in your brain, when you try and speak, your motor cortex has significantly more activity than it should." He looked at Chell knowingly, "We should be able to help you if the Vortigaunts are willing." Then, seeing her confusion at the mention of the Vortigaunts, said, "the Vortigaunts were once slaves to the Combine, but now they are on our side and fight to overthrow the Combine." He looked really apologetic and said, "I am very remiss, I forgot to ask your name. Don't worry I know you cannot speak, but could you perchance write it down here?" Dr. Applebaum gave her a clipboard and pen. Chell looked at the clipboard and saw "name" followed by a line. Assuming this was where she was supposed to write her name, Chell sloppily printed "Chell," on the line.

Dr. Applebaum took the clipboard back and looked at her name. "So, your name is Chell? Do you have a last name Chell?" Chell shook her head. If she did have a last name she did not remember it. "I see." Dr. Applebaum went over to a intercom and said, "Can Frank, Bill, and George please meet Dr. Applebaum in OR 1?"

While Dr. Applebaum was doing that Katie went over to Chell and said, "If you would please follow me, I will take you to the operating room, I'll have to prep you for the operation." Chell nodded and followed Katie to a brightly lit room with a cold steel table with restraints for arms and legs. She started back, but Katie was between her and the exit. "Don't worry, the restraints are for your safety; sometimes when the Vortegaunts heal someone the patients convulse, and we wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." Chell was still wary, but Katie seemed so nice and genuine, that she decided that she would trust her. She lay down on the table, and controlled her breathing as Katie restrained her hands and feet securely. When she was done, Katie stroked Chell's head and said, "It's going to be fine, you are going to be better soon." She then went over to a stainless steel table and put on scrubs, a mask, and blue gloves. As she did this the door opened and Chell looked and saw Dr. Applebaum leading in three ferocious looking creatures. They had a vaguely humanoid shape, but their skin was greyish green, they had strange heads with one large reddish-orange eye, two strange protrusions on the side and a mouth with many pointed teeth. Chell started back and tried to get out of her restraints. She gritted her teeth to stop herself from silently crying out in fear.

As the Vortigaunts gathered around her, Chell struggled against her restraints even harder and she heard one say, "The Chell should be sedated, the Chell's heart is beating too fast."

Dr. Applebaum turned around and said, "Katie…"

But Katie interrupted him and said, "Already on it doctor." She appeared from the side of Chell's vision holding a syringe with some clear liquid in it and said to Chell, "You will feel a small pinch." Chell then felt a slight pinch in her arm and immediately felt her arm go numb, then her hand and shoulder, then the rest of her body, as she faded from consciousness, she saw a green lightning go from each of the Vortigaunts connecting them in a neon triangle with Chell in the center.

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><p>AN Thanks for reading! Again, please leave a comment and I'll try to update again soon.


	6. Chapter 6: Cooperation

A/N: Hey Readers. Here is chapter 6. I'm going to try to update at least one more chapter before school starts in a week, but don't expect many update turnarounds as quick as this. I just happen to know where my story is going and have chapter 7 planned out in my head, as well as some ideas for chapter 8.

Once again, pleas R&R. All comments are welcome. And a heads up for this chapter, it focuses entirely on the beginning of the Cooperative Testing Initiative, so you guys get to wait a little longer before finding out what happened to Chell.

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><p>Chapter 6:<p>

"Cooperation"

Upon awaking, Emily felt ready for a new round of tests. Strangely, she was not hungry, which seemed odd to her. Putting thoughts about non-hunger out of her mind, Emily stood up and picked up her Portal Gun, or would have were it there. The computerized voice piped up, "Congratulations, _Insert Subject Name Here_, you have been selected as an appropriate candidate for the Aperture Science Cooperative Testing Initiative. Your new Aperture Science Cooperative Testing Garments will be dispensed in 3… 2… 1…." The floor of her chamber opened up and a folded blue jumpsuit was set next to the hole by a robotic arm. Emily picked up the jumpsuit and looked at the front and back. It looked very similar to her current one, although it was blue, not orange, and the symbol on the back of the new one had "COOPERATIVE TESTING INITIATIVE SUBJECT" written in white block letters. Overall, Emily liked it much better than her current one, which was stained, holey, and stiff with sweat. She changed quickly, and then waited for the computer to tell her what to do next. She did not have to wait long, "When the portal opens, please proceed to the elevator, which will take, _Insert Subject Name Here_, down to meet, _Insert Subject's Partner Name Here_. The portal will open in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…" A portal opened and Emily had the now familiar experience of seeing herself from the side, looking at herself from the side. She quickly cut off that train of thought and went through the portal, wondering where her portal gun had gone, and if she would ever get it back.

Erik woke up with the same annoying music in his ears and was surprised that his leg did not hurt. He undid his bandage and saw that only a scar remained. Blinking away his confusion at this, Erik got up, and wondered what the Computer had in mind for him with the "Special Project." He figured it was probably some sadistic way to get back at him for sitting for so long in the room. He didn't have to wait too long to find out. "Congratulations, _Insert Subject Name Here_, you have been selected as an appropriate candidate for the Aperture Science Cooperative Testing Initiative. Your new Aperture Science Cooperative Testing Garments will be dispensed in 3… 2… 1…." The floor of her chamber opened up and a folded orange jumpsuit was set next to the hole by a robotic arm. Erik picked up the jumpsuit and looked at the front and back. It looked very similar to his current one, but it was a slightly darker shade of orange, and the symbol on the back of the new one had "COOPERATIVE TESTING INITIATIVE SUBJECT" written in white block letters. Erik had jumped back from the robotic hand, but after it went back into the floor he picked up his new jumpsuit and put it on. It felt good to be in clean clothes again, and he figured that cooperative testing wouldn't be too bad, at least it wasn't a military test course filled with turrets. Test chambers he could handle, and he hoped that he could handle whomever they paired him with. When prompted, Erik went through the portal and to the elevator.

The elevator took Erik down to a hallway with a door on the end, same as many a hallway in Aperture Science. When this door opened however, the room beyond was not like many in Aperture. There was a portal gun on a pedestal, but it looked different. The overall design was the same, but it had two orange stripes along it and was emitting a yellow light. Next to the new portal gun was a visor on another pedestal. It had an orange stripe on the top. The Computer said, "Pleas put on the Aperture Science Cooperative Testing Visor. It will be essential for completion of the coming tests." Erik complied and picked up the portal gun. It felt comfortable and familiar in his hands, although there did seem to be four buttons on the grip, within easy reach of his thumb. Curious, he pressed one, forgetting for a second that certain doom could befall him at any time. His visor lit up and on the wall in front of where his portal gun was an orange, open cross-haired circle with an arrow pointing to the middle.

The Computerized voice came on over the speakers, "Please remember that the Aperture Science Cooperative Ping Tool is not a toy. Don't play with it." It paused and then said, "Now that you have your Aperture Science Handheld Dual Portal Device and your Aperture Science Cooperative Testing Visor, please step onto the iris so that the Cooperative Testing Partner Initiation Process can begin." Erik had noticed the iris when he had walked in. It had orange lights around the edge and the same symbol (also in orange), which Erik assumed was the Aperture Science logo. He tentatively walked over to it, not knowing exactly what was going to happen, but sure he was not going to like it. When he stopped in the center of the iris, it opened, and he only had a second to start swearing before he fell down a pipe. He landed on what looked like another iris in the middle of a glass tube. He looked around and saw a similar tube to his left with a short girl in a blue jumpsuit. She had brown, shoulder length hair and seemed to be excited about something. The girl was looking at him. The Computerized voice came on, "Hello, today you will be testing with a partner. Please wave to your partner." The girl waved vigorously at Erik. Erik blinked and looked around at the rest of his surroundings.

Emily was taken aback. The tall man in the tube across from her wasn't listening to the Voice, as Emily had just decided to call the computer lady. Also, he did not seem excited to see her at all. She had no memory of him, or any reason that he would not like her. The Voice came on again, "ORANGE, please wave at your partner. It is only polite." The man, Orange, rolled his eyes and grudgingly waved back. "Thank you, ORANGE. BLUE, you are awarded five Science Collaboration Points for your quick response. The upcoming tests require you to work as a team." As the Voice spoke the last line, the irises beneath both Emily and Orange opened up and they fell down a ways until stopping at another iris. "To facilitate collaboration, your Aperture Science Handheld Dual Portal Device has been equipped with a ping tool. Blue, please use your ping tool to select your favorite animal." Emily looked at the screen in front of her, and saw nine animals, none of which was her favorite. She decided to pick the moose, as that was the one that she liked the most out of any of them. "Thank you. ORANGE, please observe your partner's favorite animal." After a few seconds the floor opened again and they fell down to another level.

"ORANGE, please choose your favorite element from the periodic table." Erik was confused. There were only nine elements up on the screen, but his "favorite" was up there. He selected Ti, which he knew was titanium. After he pinged Ti, the Computer piped up, "Really? Okay. BLUE, please observe your partner's… interesting choice." The floor opened up again and they fell yet again; but this time Erik landed in an un-portable room that looked like a test chamber, or the antechamber to a test chamber. The Computer spoke once more, "Your ping tool can also be used to indicate to your partner where you would like them to place their portal. For the sake of this test, I will be your partner. Please use your ping tool to indicate where you would like me to place two portals. Ping each location." Erik ignored the voice and pulled the trigger on his portal device. Nothing happened. A blue version of the ping marker suddenly popped up on his visor, and then another one. In each of those locations, a portal opened up and the girl in blue made it onto the next platform. "ORANGE, for purposes of this test, your Aperture Science Handheld Dual Portal Device has been disabled; please ping the locations of the portals for me." Erik complied, noticing that the girl in blue was watching him with a puzzled look on her face. Erik proceeded to the next test room. This one had two glass windows with slits in it. He immediately saw what he needed to do to let the girl in blue move on with the test. He placed two portals right before the Computer said, "The ping tool is invaluable for communicating specific locations to your partner."

Erik started to stride down towards the exit but heard a girl's voice from behind him say, "Wait!"

Erik stopped, sighed, and then turned around. The girl in blue was standing at the first window. Erik went back to the window and growled, "What?"

Emily was again taken aback by Orange. He did not seem like a nice person. "I just wanted to know your name," Emily said in a small voice. "Mine is Emily, Emily Kent."

Erik sighed again and said, "Name's Erik. Now listen, I just want to get through these tests alive, and it seems that to do that I have to be saddled with you. So please keep quiet and put portals where I tell you to, when I tell you to." He strode off to the exit.

Emily decided that she didn't like this Erik. She shouted after him, "I'm not stupid, for your information. If you weren't such a dick then perhaps we could work together better." Then, pleased with herself for standing up to Erik, she headed for the exit.

Erik did not even acknowledge the statement, but in his head he thought, "This is going to be far worse than I feared."

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><p>AN: Thanks again for reading and once again a reminder to R&R, because I value my worth as a writer and person based on your comments... Ok, not really, but I do like feedback of any kind. Tell me what is working, and what isn't working.

And yes. Erik is a dick.


End file.
